Olive Oil Ice Cream

First things first, while my house was divided over this particular ice cream flavor, I absolutely loved the olive oil ice cream served with a dish of fresh berries, and two of my children surprised me by enjoying it as well. Creamy sweet vanilla ice cream with a hint of fruity olive oil on the back is an unexpected grown-up flavor treat.

ice cream made with olive oil in blue pottery bowl

A good quality extra virgin olive oil is required for this ice cream, though it truly does not need to be one of the priciest varieties either. If you have a fancy and fruity oil on hand, definitely use it!

I did a bit of research online before making this ice cream, searching for a decent quality, “fruity” oil that could be found at most grocery stores. While I do enjoy using fancy olive oils at different times, I wanted this ice cream to be something that wasn’t out of reach for the average home kitchen. I used Terra Delyssa olive oil, and it proved great for this ice cream.

If possible, I recommend buying a new bottle of oil for this recipe. Olive oil really does not last all that long. If your olive oil doesn’t smell like anything, it probably won’t taste like much either. (And if it smells bad – musty, or like plastic or wax? please don’t try using it here!)

A great oil should smell kind of green, fresh, and maybe a bit fruity or citrusy. Give it a sniff before pouring: even the best olive oils will lose their aroma after a while. And again, you do not need a super fancy bottle of oil for this. Just make sure it’s fresh and a little bit fruity, if possible.

wooden ice cream scoop in container of ice cream

Philadelphia Style Ice Cream

The vast majority of the ice cream recipes here on the site are Philadelphia-style ice creams. Made without any eggs at all, simply with a combination of cream, milk, and sugar as the base. These are some of the best and easiest ice creams to make. They turn out wonderfully smooth and creamy without the need for a traditional custard-style base.

It’s a well-established fact that I enjoy making ice cream, and we’ve made everything from classic cookies and cream to peanut butter, chai to Snickers, Dr. Pepper, and even pickle ice cream. The easier the ice cream is to make, the happier I tend to be about it, so these simple ice creams are often my favorites.

close up of ice cream in blue bowl with wooden spoon

Custard Ice Cream

However, there are a handful of ice creams, a rare few, (I’m looking at you, Black Raspberry, Cinnamon, Rum Raisin, Blueberry Chocolate Chunk, and Coffee Ice Creams) that justify both the time and effort of a classic custard ice cream base.

This olive oil ice cream is one of those recipes. I’ve tried simplifying the recipe and skipping the custard, and it simply doesn’t work. The custard provides a lovely balance to the olive oil, and it helps create an ice cream as smooth, rich, and creamy as we like it to be.

olive oil next to container of ice cream on wooden table

Olive Oil Ice Cream Recipe

So, we defer to the wisdom of David Lebovitz for this batch of olive oil ice cream. The original recipe can be found in The Perfect Scoop, and I’ve barely tweaked it at all. You’ll start by making the custard base, then slowly add the olive oil, whisking constantly to incorporate it into the mixture.

Churn the mixture as you would any other ice cream. (Or follow these instructions for making ice cream without a machine.) Serve it as soft-serve or pop it into the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy your ice cream.

Olive Oil Desserts

To make this one of the most memorable desserts ever, I highly recommend pairing this olive oil ice cream with a slice of lemon olive oil cake. That lemon cake happens to be one of the best sweets I’ve eaten this year – no joke. (I finally called a friend and gave away the last half of the cake, just so I would stop cutting a slice every time I passed the cake in the kitchen!)

While I’m never ever going to turn down birthday cake and ice cream, this olive oil cake and ice cream combo is everything my adult taste buds crave.

Combine the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and warm over medium heat until it is steaming. Do not boil. While the milk is warming, pour the cream into a large bowl and set a strainer over the top.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan, scraping all of the mixture into the pan.
Stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, warm the egg mixture over medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pan as you stir. When the mixture has thickened and coats the spatula, pour the custard through the strainer into the heavy cream.
Stir to combine the custard with the cream, and then add the olive oil. Whisk vigorously until well blended, then stir until cool over an ice bath. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Serve immediately for soft-serve ice cream or transfer to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.